Mozambique

Welcome

Mozambique has had a rough ride over the past few decades: colonial rule was followed by many years of civil war, devastating famine and natural disasters.  However, since peace was agreed in 1992, the country has been piecing itself together once again and opening its doors to tourism.  There are a huge number of Christian NGO’s and missionary organisations working in the country at the moment, taking advantage of the openness of the government and the people to spread the gospel.

Geography

Capital: Maputo
Mozambique is the world’s 35th largest country in the world, comparable in size to Turkey, located on the south-eastern coast of Africa.  It is bound by Swaziland to the south, South Africa to the south-west, Zimbabwe to the west, Zambia and Malawi to the north-west, Tanzania to the north and the Indian Ocean to the east.  The country is drained by 5 principal rivers and several smaller ones with the largest and most important being the Zambezi. The country has 3 lakes, Lake Niassa/Malawi, Lake Chiuta and Lake Shirwa, all in the north.  The major cities are Maputo, Beira, Nampula, Tete, Quelimane, Chimoio, Pemba, Inhambane, Xai-Xai and Lichinga.

Weather

Mozambique has a tropical climate with 2 seasons – a wet season from October to March and a dry season from April to September.  Climatic conditions vary depending on altitude.  Rainfall is heavy along the coast.  Cyclones are common during the wet season.  Average temperatures in the south are from 13 to 24 degrees Celsius (55-75 F) in July to 22 to 31 degrees Celsius (72-88 F) in February. It tends to be a few degrees warmer in the northern parts of the country than the south.

History & Government

Between the first and fourth centuries AD, bantu-speaking people migrated from the west and north through the Zambezi River valley and gradually to the plateau and coastal areas, establishing agricultural communities and societies based on herding cattle.  The voyage of Vasco da Gama around the Cape of Good Hope into the Indian Ocean in 1498 marked the Portuguese entry into trade, politics and society in the Indian Ocean world.  The Portuguese gained control of the Island of Mozambique and the port city of Sofala in the early 16th century, and penetrated the interior regions seeking gold, setting up garrisons and trading posts.

The Portuguese were able to wrest much of the coastal trade from the Arabs (who had established commercial and slave trading settlements before the Portuguese explorers reached East Africa) between 1500 and 1700.  During the 18th and 19th centuries the Mazrui and Omani Arabs reclaimed much of the Indian Ocean trade, forcing the Portuguese to retreat south, with other European powers, particularly Britain and France, becoming increasingly involved in the trade and politics of the region.

Policies and development plans were primarily designed by the ruling authorities for the benefit of Mozambique’s Portuguese population, with little attention being paid to Mozambique’s tribal integration and the development of its native communities.  This led to the forming of the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO), who initiated a guerrilla campaign against Portuguese rule in 1964.  This led to the Portuguese Colonial War (1961-1974).  After 10 years of sporadic warfare and Portugal’s return to democracy, FRELIMO took control of the territory. Within a year, almost all Portuguese population had left, some expelled, others fleeing in fear.  Mozambique became independent from Portugal on June 25, 1975.

The ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989 and a new constitution the following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy.  A UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992.  In December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim Chissano stepped down after 18 years in office, with his elected successor Armando Emilio Guebuza, promising to continue sound economic policies to encourage foreign investment.

Economy

Currency: Mozambican metical (Mtn).  Dollars and South African rands are the best form of foreign exchange to bring. No travellers cheques, credit cards or debit cards.  ATM’s are scarce and not reliable.
The resettlement of civil war refugees and successful economic reform has led to a high growth rate.  The government projects the economy to continue to expand between 7 -10% a year for the next five years, although rapid expansion hinges on several major foreign investment projects, continued economic reform and the revival of the agriculture, transportation and tourism sectors.

More than 75% of the population engages in small scale agriculture, which still suffers from inadequate infrastructure, commercial networks and investment, with 88% of Mozambique’s arable land is still being uncultivated.  The profitable exploitation of valuable titanium reserves has the potential to uplift this poverty stricken country.

Imports remain almost 40% greater than exports, but with a number of foreign investment projects, exports should improve.  MOZAL, a large aluminium smelter that commenced production in 2000, has greatly expanded the nation’s trade volume.  Traditional Mozambican exports include cashews, shrimp, fish, sugar, cotton, tea and citrus fruits.

People

The north-central provinces of Zambezia and Nampula are the most populous, with about 45% of the population.  The estimated 4 million Macua are the dominant group in the northern part of the country, the Sena and Shona are prominent in the Zambezi valley and the Shangaan dominate the southern regions.  Other groups include Makonde, Yao, Swahili, Tonga, Chopi and Nguni.

Project site:

Macomia, Mozambique, a district seat of about 10,000 people, located in the province of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique.

It is comprised primarily of three people groups, with Macomia being a melting pot of Makonde, Makuwha, and Mwani tribes. This administrative town hosts a small hospital to where impoverished people in outlying villages travel for health care, many at long distances and at great expense.

The clinic for screening and glasses fitting is run out of an army tent which is set up just next to the OR.  The OR is a converted room in one of the outer lying hospital buildings.  Local church volunteers assist with registration and crowd control.

Accommodations are provided by our hosts Paul and Karen Zimmerman, AIM missionaries, in their home.  There is no running water (bucket showers are the order of the day) and no electricity.  Cell phones with international roaming or local sim cards work.  A generator is used to power the microscopes and air conditioner in the OR. 

We were able to do 68 surgeries in 2007, and gave out over 600 pairs of glasses.  MMI’s presence was a tremendous blessing, sharing the love of Christ with a heavily Islamic audience.  At present we are patiently waiting to receive government permission to continue serving the poor of northern Mozambique.